Worship

Do you ever look out across our current state and wonder about the question: God, Is “Christianity” supposed to look like this? I don’t want to diminish at all the efficacy of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross being “mighty to save”. I just often think that sometimes, our conversations about righteousness, holiness and worship aren’t producing the correct understanding of how our lives should look.

As someone who has believed on, and confessed my need of Christ for salvation, I know without a doubt that when God looks at me, He doesn’t see me….even my best me. He sees Christ. The Great Exchange is the phrase we use to promote the idea that I was gifted Christ’s righteousness, and He got the punishment for my sin.
2 Corinthians 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.

This understanding also clears up the idea that its futile for me to try and think that a righteousness according to the law (or being good enough), is sufficient for me to be justified. Impossible. I think the problem comes with the question; “Okay then, what’s next?”
I’m free indeed. God sees me as righteous. There’s no condemnation for me, and none of that can be undone.
In light of maturity and having a servant's heart to love one another, we also understand that it’s wrong to use our liberty for selfish gain or to cause another brother or sister to stumble

Here's The Word:

1 Corinthians 8:9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.

Galatians 5:13 For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another.

But then what? It looks like so many are consumed in betwixt a conundrum: "I can do what I want, except for the things I think I probably shouldn’t do. Those things I wrestle with trying to do less."

Now this isn’t wholly a bad thing, it’s the nature of sanctification: That progression whereby our faith is strengthened, we push more and more away from the world and become more Christlike, producing the Fruit of the Spirit, using the Spirit's power. Don't get me wrong, our perfection through sanctification is not instantaneous. Its a lifelong change that happens from the inside out. My hang up is not time, it' commitment and eagerness (what the Bible calls Zeal.)
Galatians 4:18 But it is good to be zealously affected always in a good thing, and not only when I am present with you.
I guess my main rub is that it seems that people are using this conundrum as a comfortable resting place. A place to continue to embrace what they like about the world, but still feel pretty good that God is blessing their lives. This is where my initial question comes from.

I like listening to John MacArthur’s question and answer sessions and recently, I heard a gentleman passionately expressing this same conviction that too many of us seem to enjoy having a foot firmly planted in the world with its attractions(or distractions) and traditions, and also secure in our eternal destiny with God.
This got me to thinking.
What does God want? Did He just want me saved because He knows how bad hell would be? Did He want me saved so Heaven would have the right amount of people?

You give it some thought – Why does God want you saved? I don’t know if it’s as personal as some of us make it out to be. Our salvation has its origination and full expression in the Truth of Who God is. God is love, and in His love, He’s instinctively and intimately relational. The Father, Son (The Word) and The Spirit have been (and will be) loving on each other in perfect harmony eternally. Glorified.
His intrinsic nature has simply found its way to us as a product of His love and desire to give a gift to His Son. A bride.
The full Godhead were collectively invested and played very important parts in bringing this eventuality to its glorious culmination. This is the truth that I think somehow gets lessened when it comes to how we live out “being saved”. In my opinion, a correct response looks at this overwhelming truth and is absolutely crushed by the weight of it. So I can look back on the previous list of truths and still add a little something.
I’m free indeed, after repeatedly choosing to oppose God as a rebel. God sees me as righteous, wholly undeserving of anything but torment since all I could (and can) offer is sin or surrender.
There’s no condemnation for me, because for my sake, Christ was condemned, even to the point of being forsaken by His Father, Who up until then, had never turned His loving gaze away from His son.
This is the truth that produces the heart of worship. This truth makes most everything about this world so much less appealing or enamoring. And the response to embracing this truth seems to be more in line with the reason God saved me. To worship.

Here's The Word:

John 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.

Don't just enjoy being pardoned, embrace Him with passion!

In Him,
Cros